The clothes
Later Skater started because I couldn't find clothes that felt like me anymore.
Not the twenty-year-old version. Not the mumsie version. Not the polished version for work. Not the version trying to keep up with every new trend.
The real version.
The one balancing responsibilities, family, work, and still trying to retain some part of me.
Later Skater is for the people sitting in that middle ground. Still connected to the culture they grew up with, but dressing for the life they're living now.
The Founder
Hi, I'm Arly.
Wife, mum of two, founder of Later Skater (and serial side-project starter, depending on how much caffeine I've had).
Most days I'm juggling far too many things at once, and I got sick of not having clothes that could keep up with all of my side quests. Clothes that were comfortable, easy to wear, but could still take me from the board to the boardroom.
I grew up on 90's skate culture, surf culture, loud music, late nights, and the kind of freedom that's hard to explain to anyone who doesn't remember life before we were all attached to technology.
These days, everything looks different, but those parts of me never left. Later Skater is my way of bringing them along for the ride.
The Purpose
In 2013, I lost my brother, Ben. Unexpectedly and tragically. He was my best friend, my workmate, my champion, my big brother.
The last voicemail he ever left me ended with the words, "Later Skater". I listen to that voicemail so often, hearing his voice is so important to me.
More than a decade later, while rebuilding my sense of self after motherhood, those words found their way back again and Later Skater was formed.
One thing I've noticed throughout the last 12 years is that it's often easier to talk to complete strangers about loss than it is the people closest to us. Time and time again, I've found connection in unexpected places, through conversations with people who simply understood grief.
My hope is to build Later Skater to something that helps create more of those connections.
A portion of every sale helps support the development of a future Grief Support Project, designed to bring connection and community to people navigating loss.
If you've lost someone you love, or you're finding your way through grief, please don't hesitate to reach out for a chat or for support resources.
These are important conversations. And they're too important to carry alone.